Chic in the City

If you’re looking for a hip, trendy, *chic* online magazine dedicated to female college students, look no more. University Chic is an online MUST for up and coming college fashionistas. It’s an online magazine written for and by college students like us! The site features different category blogs, advice columns, college resources, promotions, and even a place to submit your own writing to be featured on University Chic – very exciting for those of us who are trying to get our name and work out there. Check it out by clicking here. (Photo courtesy of UniversityChic.com )

On the fashion entertainment beat, who wants to talk about the soon-to-be-released Sex and the City movie??? Comments???

Fallon to Replace O'Brien on The Late Night Show!

The news: Conan O'Brien will be replaced by Jimmy Fallon (fellow SNL Alumni) on The Late Night Show on NBC. Check out this article for full details. The switch will take place in early 2009.

What do you think of both of these guys? Do you watch the show?

Have you ever wanted to be a television host or talk show host? Have any advice for other students who dream of being on-air?

Stuck in Your Job Search?

Why not try a career fair? They are a great way to get your face (and your resume) in front of a lot of people and companies in a short amount of time. Recruiters from all different kinds of companies go to career fairs to try and find their next new hire, and it could be you! CareerBuilder.com has a listing of career fairs in cities all over the nation. Click here to see the list. Be sure to check with your school’s career center and any career associations (like PRSSA, Advertising Federation, Law Associations, etc.) to see what they have planned as well.

Besides meeting recruiters, this is a great opportunity to see who else is out there competing for the same jobs! Plus, even if you don’t find the exact job you’re looking for at the fair, you might meet someone who does know of the right person or company that you should be talking to. You can also practice your "elevator speech" and interveiw skills as well.

Have you ever been to a career fair? Did it lead to a job opportunity?

Always Buying Sneakers?

Are you always buying sneakers? This may sound crazy, but according to Mindset Media, this is a sign that you're a leader! Don't believe it? Check out the article yourself by clicking here.

Advice from Christie Hefner

Today, I had the pleasure of seeing Christie Hefner, CEO and Chairman of Playboy Enterprises, Inc., speak at a fundraising breakfast for Dress for Success (DFS), a non-profit organization that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help underprivileged women. Chicago Kimpton Hotels is one of the clients that my firm currently represents and they support DFS through a corporate initiative, so I got to help out with the event!

She was an amazing and poignant speaker, asking to not use a podium for such an intimate setting. Without notes, Hefner offered her career advice to the professional audience. Main Point: I got to hear Christie Hefner’s advice for getting ahead and getting involved; two things that she pointed out go hand in hand. She touched on three main tips:

Be a Good Listener – Though some people think they’re good listeners, most of the time they are thinking when they should be listening. Listening allows you to really find out what the other person is looking for and the more you hear - the more you can give them exactly what they want, both in your personal and professional life.

Taking Risks – You can’t go any further if you stay in the same place. Calculated and educated risks were her main emphasis here. Don’t take a risk you don’t know the negative outcomes for, this way you will be prepared for everything (even the worst). If it pays off, even better! Hefner spoke about her risk to jump into the digital world in 1994 when she decided to put a “dot com” on the end of Playboy. She put Playboy on the map when it was the first magazine on the internet. Now, playboy.com is the fastest profit growing resource of Playboy Enterprises, Inc.

Networking – Of course! Though Hefner noted that she was able to get into Playboy Enterprises, Inc. through her father (Hugh Hefner), she stressed that networking puts you in places that resumes can only dream of going. Friends like helping friends and keep in mind that the way we asked her to speak at the event was through my boss, a networking contact!

Getting Involved: The sooner you can start helping an organization that you’re passionate about, the better so that in the future it becomes second nature to give back.

Wow! What powerful advice . . . I was absolutely floored by her! What do you guys think of Christie Hefner? Her advice?

Entertainment Q&A

Question: I want to get a job as a broadcast manager on a cruise ship right after graduation. What can you tell me about the application process? –Laura from Peoria, IL

Answer: If you want to get a job on a cruise ship right after graduation, you need to begin applying at least 6 months in advance. Cruise lines require applicants to email their resumes and cover letters; the applicants then wait to be contacted. You should research the cruise line you’d like to apply to and make sure you meet all their requirements as well. In order to work on a cruise ship you are required to obtain certain visas, passports, etc. which can also take time to process. It can take 2-3 months before your application is even reviewed, and the subsequent interview process can be lengthy depending on your location and the location of the nearest representative. Finding work on a cruise ship is a lengthy process, and the work can be grueling. Do your research beforehand, and make sure it’s something you really want to do before fully committing your time.

Answered by Caitlin Green

The Front Door and the Glass Ceiling

It's fitting that this March, National Women's History Month, Vanity Fair printed this article, arguing that women today are, in fact, as funny (if not funnier) than female comedians of the past. The piece comes on the heels of an article from Christopher Hitchens, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, that argues that women are: a) not funny, and b) don't have to be because they can impress men with their looks. Aside from the clear heterosexist stance Hitchens assumes in this piece (does he mean to imply, then, that lesbians have a clear path to witty banter because they're not consistently consumed with a desire to impress the opposite sex?), there are many, many assertions in this piece that irk me. To wit:

"There are more terrible female comedians than there are terrible male comedians, but there are some impressive ladies out there. Most of them, though, when you come to review the situation, are hefty or dykey or Jewish, or some combo of the three."

It's statements such as these that make this month's Vanity Fair manifesto even more deliciously appealing. As National Women's History Month draws to a close, let's take a quick poll in honor of our favorite funny women.

Who is your favorite female comedian/comedic actress of today?

Who is your favorite female comedian/comedic actress of the pre-1970's era?

Who is your favorite female comedic writer?

I look forward to reading your opinions!

For more information on National Women's History Month, visit the National Women's History Project.

Cover Letter Conundrum

I always feel that cover letters are treated as the “Second-hand” to resumes, but cover letters are the passageway to tell your potential employer who YOU are and not just want experience you have. Here are some links to great articles and advice about cover letters:

Dos & Don’ts of Cover Letters

Maximize Your Cover Letter’s Power

Five Common Cover Letter Mistakes

Yes, You Really Need a Cover Letter!


If you don’t get a chance to visit these, remember these 3 major takeaways:

1. Don’t lose them with the first sentence – Start with something that sums you up in the beginning to make sure they keep reading.
2. Do List Contact Information – even though it might be on your resume, they may want to write or call you right on the spot and this makes it much easier to find it.
3. Do list the job qualifications needed from the job description – don’t just talk about you, talk about what skills you have that they need.

Do you have any good advice for writing cover letters? Bad experiences when sending out your cover letter and resume?

Spring Around the Corner

A year ago I was dreading springtime. I had only two months until graduation and was unsure of what I would be doing the following year. I busied myself in writing my graduation thesis--partly out of necessity, and partly because it kept my mind off my impending cap and gown. All told, transitioning from college to the "real world" was the most challenging adjustment of my life. My college was made up of a tiny, tight-knit, women's community, in which the vast majority of students lived on campus. We lounged in bathing suits in the middle of the campus quad (the way only Southern Californians could) and spent entire days curled up together on our dumpy dorm mattresses watching old movies and eating entire boxes of Wheat Thins in one sitting. We designed homemade costumes for theme parties using only scraps of fabric and industrial strength glue, and we never felt the least bit childish about it. While other college students moved into apartments by their junior year, the ladies of Scripps relished having more time in Claremont, the oasis of an otherwise industrial wasteland: Southern California's Inland Empire.

As you can imagine, moving to Boston was quite an adjustment.

I certainly don't mean for this blog entry to be a downer, but if anyone who is still in college is reading this right now, they probably understand all too well how I felt a year ago. Spring Break is over, graduation is around the corner and, unless you are exceptionally lucky, you're probably not 100% sure what's coming next for you.

With this in mind, I've compiled a list of resources I wish I had known about when I first graduated back in 2007:

Life After College
This is a fantastic resource. Life After College contains information on everything from finding a job, applying to grad school, and managing your funds. The site even includes links to useful cooking websites, for those of you weaning themselves off cafeteria food.

Craigslist

It's probably silly to think that any of you haven't heard of Craigslist, but here's a reminder: Craigslist is AMAZING. Not only does Craigslist have a comprehensive list of available jobs, it also has a marketplace for inexpensive furniture and housing. This is a good place to start if you're a new grad.

Meetup
About to go live in a completely new city? Relocating to a town where you know absolutely no one? Take a look at meetup.com. The site is home to thousands of clubs and organizations in every US city imaginable. It's a great way to meet people and get involved in your community.

And, of course, don't forget Experience.com! I assume since you made it to this blog, you've seen lots of it already, but this is a great place to get started on a career. Explore Experience's resources and see what might be helpful for you!

Poll Time!

I love hearing stories about people’s interviews for jobs and internships. Here’s a chance for you to tell me about your experiences!! Feel free to answer one or all of the questions. I’ll share mine if you share yours!


What is the craziest question you have been asked at an interview? How did you respond?

What do you think is the worst mistake you can make during an interview?

Have you ever embellished your achievements to get a job/internship?

In Praise of Creative Media

Oklahoma Representative Sally Kern is feeling the full force of an active, creative media community.

Over the weekend, Rep. Kern went on an anti-gay tirade during a meeting with an audience of only 50 people. Her slanderous, hate-filled speech was leaked onto the internet swiftly:

It is frightening to think that only a few years ago, this kind of frightening, bigoted language would go unnoticed. Today, thanks to creative, grassroots media groups, people like Rep. Kern must account for their ignorant, irresponsible actions. Already, nearly 300,000 people have submitted their names to a register condemning Rep. Kern's speech.

It's easy to see websites like YouTube as frivolous outlets for humor and gags; but in this case, I believe YouTube made all the difference.

Hobby? . . . Or Talent for a Career?

Think your job can't be something you love doing . . . wrong! Maybe you have a hobby or knack that you can turn into a career - like a curiosity to cook new and exciting food dishes, a niche for showing others how to set-up their computers or Web sites, or a love for dressing your friends and family. All of these things can be pursued and turned into careers. How? Check out this article to find the answers!

Still crafting or perfecting your hobby skills? Try using your talents for a good cause or asking friends who might need your help. Non-profits are always looking for volunteers. This is a great way to use your hobbies to help others and practice using it in a work environment. For example, if you are a graphic designer, try finding a non-profit that needs help creating their Web-site. If you know how to plan events well, ask your friends who are getting married if they need help planning. This can help you gain experience and you can test the waters to see if it is something you think you could turn into a career.

Have you ever thought about turning your hobby into something more? Are you taking your passion and shaping it into a career or job?

Bad Job Blues

Afraid of choosing the wrong job right out of college? Remember – even if you choose the wrong one, you can still learn from it! Check out this article by SavvySugar by clicking here – it details why a suffering through a bad job is sometimes an important way to learn about what you DON’T want to do.

For example, during my sophomore year of college, I worked for an event marketing company that mostly consisted of nightlife clients. I quickly learned that working in the nightlife scene wasn’t for me because the people I had to deal with during events were mostly inebriated during my time working with them and the hours were terrible! While this job could be really fun for people who love the nightlife scene and don’t mind being out until 3 a.m. in the morning, it just wasn’t for me.

Now, when I interview for new jobs I know to ask about the extra hours and weekends that I will be required to work. I also learned that even though marketing and promotion of nightclub events sounded fun, it isn’t for me, so I check out a company’s Web site to see what their client list looks like before I send my resume to that company. Although these sound like ‘duh’ realizations, sometimes you just have to experience a job before you realize you do or don’t like it. You can avoid getting stuck in a job by testing the waters first through:

1. Internships - A great way to figure out if you like a certain career or company because they usually only last a few months, so be sure to take advantage of them.
2. Job Shadowing – Ask to follow someone for one work day to see what it is like to have their job.
3. Research!!

• Experience.com is the perfect place to start and check out different career paths. If you’re specifically looking for a career in the entertainment industry, check out this article by Emma Beaver to see the different paths you can take.
• About.com has a great career tool where you can type in a job title or career you are interested in and see all kinds of statistics such as earnings, advancement, skills needed and even a typical day for that job! Here is an example for a public relations specialist.
  

Have you ever had a terrible job that you learned from?? Come on over and vent in the comments forum!

"America's Coolest Internships"

I just received some fantastic news this morning about one of my previous internships. Inc., a top business magazine, has profiled “America’s Coolest Internships” and my last internship at Barkley was picked! Barkley is an employee-owned, full-service advertising, marketing, and public relations agency that is based in Kansas City. I was lucky enough to be picked last summer as one of two public relations interns, specifically working on client accounts such as Lee Jeans, Lee National Denim Day, and SONIC Drive-In.

I am actually not at all surprised that this internship program was picked as one of the “coolest” in the country because the company blew away my expectations of what I did last summer. Not only did I work directly with the client teams, but I was able to express my ideas and input my thoughts into meetings, where interns are usually ignored. During the course of the summer, the interns also prepared our own client pitch for Boulevard Brewing Company. What more could a college student ask for to work with an alcoholic beverage client and have work to put into our portfolio that says, “We did this on our own!”

All in all, I am more than proud to have worked at Barkley. Though I am rambling a little bit here, I hope all college students have the chance to say they’ve had the opportunity to experience working or interning at a company who is really trying to help develop your knowledge of the industry you will be entering after college.

If you want to be a part of America’s Coolest Internships, be sure to check out the profiles here.

(The first picture is inside the agency. The second picture is after our pitch to Boulevard Brewing.)

Me and My Migraine.

A downside of being a freelance writer: the erratic schedule. Today I was hit with an avalanche of unexpected work to do and I have the migrane to prove it. As much as I love setting my own schedule, working from home, and participating in a variety of different projects with different news outlets (believe me, it NEVER gets boring), there are times when all I want to do is crawl into bed and hide from my email inbox. (Note: when you are actually frightened to open your Yahoo! account, you know you're overwhelmed.) I usually try to avoid this kind of personal editorialization of my career choice, but I had to get that out of my system.

In unrelated news, Academy Awards ceremony viewership was down 21% this year. How this could happen with Jon Stewart hosting is beyond me. Even I watched, and the only Best Picture nominated movie I had time to see this year was Juno. So many of this year's nominated films were both critically acclaimed and powerhouses in the box office, so it's hard for me to imagine why more people wouldn't have tuned in. Here is some interesting, off-the-beaten-path, Oscar night commentary from my favorite movie review website, Pajiba. I highly recommend checking it out.

What did YOU think of the Oscars??

Check out the media buzz from the 2008 Academy Awards today by clicking here. After you check that out, be sure to leave your comments on who you thought was the best and worst dressed, a spokesperson nightmare, and your favorite moment of the evening!

I Almost Forgot...

Three cheers for the WGA!

Here is a blurb from Wired magazine about the final cost of the strike.

And here is US weekly magazine's list of return dates for several popular t.v. shows.

No Joy in Mudville

Two startling headlines surfaced recently: "New York Times Plans to Cut 100 Newsroom Jobs" and "L.A. Times Will Eliminate '100-150 Positions,' Job Cuts Across Tribune." Even though The New York Times currently has the largest newspaper staff in history, this is a scary revelation for anyone pursuing a traditional newspaper job. Both newspapers' plan for job cuts could signal a trend for large and small newspapers across the country, as more consumers begin to receive their news via websites, blogs, and television programs.

In 2004 I attended a student program at the Los Angeles Times, during which Senior Editorial Recruiter Randy Hagihara broached the issue of a growing web market for news. While I don't remember his exact words, Hagihara argued that there would always be a place for traditional print journalism, but that newspapers needed to become seamlessly integrated with their online counterparts in order to remain financially viable. In 2004, the student tour of the editorial department at the Times revealed an online department with than fewer than six desks in its corner of the building, and no more than four staffers manning the computers at any given time. One can only imagine how this working structure has changed since then to meet consumer demands and to remain competitive in an increasingly saturated news market.

What are your thoughts? Is print journalism on its way out?

Red Carpet Runway

The 80th annual Academy Awards are officially less than a week away. Though the awards show ‘season’ has been cut down quite a bit this year due to the writer’s strike, the Academy Awards are ready to air this Sunday, February 24 Live at 5 PT/8 ET on ABC. Catch up on who is nominated this year at USA Today’s interactive page. The Academy Awards Web site is also very interactive this year with videos, pictures, and games.

Now, my favorite part is the Red Carpet where actors not only get to show off their personal style, but give interviews to the media. Click here to find an article predicting (and also giving away) what designers the stars will be seen wearing this year.

Award show season is not only for actors, but also for fashion designers to glow in the hype of the Red Carpet. Designers have been made, broken, and given a new reputation all from the fashion critics of the Red Carpet. This is a perfect PR time for designers to get their name mentioned by a Hollywood starlet and their latest fashions seen, not only from the Live media at the Red Carpet, but also from all the reprints of the good, the bad, and the ugly in various fashion and celebrity magazines like People, InTouch, UsWeekly, and several more.

The key to good publicity lies in the mention of the designer’s name. This is the celebrity’s responsibility and a potential PR nightmare if he/she forgets or decides not to mention the name of the designer. It also depends on the outfit the celebrity is wearing: If the critics decide they don’t like the dress or tuxedo, then it is a never-ending disaster for both the celebrity and the designer.

The trick? Making a positive impression on the media with the celebrity’s choice of designer! Here are a couple things to look out for during the Red Carpet and Awards show to see if your favorite celebrity is a good spokesperson for the designer they are wearing:

1. Is the celebrity offering interviews to the media?
2. Did the actor mention the name of the designer?
3. Is the style of the outfit/dress flattering to the celebrity?
4. How often did you see him/her during the entire Red Carpet and/or Awards Ceremony?
5. Did you see the celebrity’s outfit in print or television media after the awards show? (Examples: E! News, People, InStyle)
6. Did the fashion critics applaud or dis-like the style the celebrity was wearing?

All of these details are incredibly important for the fashion designer’s publicity before, during, and after the awards show.

Who is your favorite celebrity spokesperson? What do you admire about their interview ability and style choices?

(Photos from Getty Images)

The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Campaign has prominently been in the news this past week. The campaign is pushing for a movement towards awareness of the sad truth that the number one killer in women today is heart disease. I found the campaign intriguing because it is just being launched this year, which makes for an excellent case study on how well the campaign will do in comparison to other causes like the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk and Lee National Denim Day, both fundraisers for breast cancer research and awareness. I was fortunate enough to intern at the agency that handles both accounts, so I was able to see how much work is put into a cause branding project.

So far, the Go Red for Women Campaign has been seen increasing awareness of the project through the creation of National Wear Red Day on February 1 this year. It also partnered with Macy’s to promote National Wear Red day through a Public Service Announcement. The highlight of that day was the “Heart Truth” fashion show during Fashion Week in Bryant Park featuring First Lady, Laura Bush, as the guest speaker. With celebrities like Heidi Klum modeling red dresses from American designers, the fashion show received a lot of great press. What an innovative idea to raise awareness for the target audience of women through a fashion logo (red dress), fashion sponsorship (Macy’s), and an actual fashion show during New York Fashion Week! To me, this sounds like a great start for this campaign. What do you think? Should they have done anything differently?

It will be even more interesting to see what happens the rest of this year. I will keep you ‘in-the-know’. More on cause branding to come soon, too.

(Photo from American Heart Association)

This Just In . . .

According to New York Magazine, the girls of MTV'S hit show, The Hills (Lauren and Whitney) have been spotted at a new job!! The two fashionista’s are reportedly now working for a fashion public relation’s firm called People’s Revolution. Sounds like a perfect fit!

Photo: MTV.com

This is very exciting news for those of us who ponder what it would be like to work/intern at Teen Vogue. How could you give up that job, right? If you want to read more about what it is like to work at Teen Vogue, check out their intern’s blog here. You can read all about who is working there now and what it is like to be a fashion magazine intern.

Photo: MTV.com

In the meantime, be sure to check back soon to hear about my own experience as a fashion public relations intern!

A New Semester Begins

A new semester! I'm thrilled to be back, nerding up the Entertainment blog with political and journalistic commentary, here at Experience.com. As my bio indicates, I am a freelance writer based in Cambridge, MA. I graduated from Scripps College last May and moved out to Massachusetts shortly thereafter. The weather out here is cold and rainy today--which gives me more reason to stick indoors and watch Super Tuesday coverage all night. Hoorah.

In light of this excitement, I'm focusing on Primary Election coverage.

FunnyorDie.com (home of that hilarious Will Ferrell landlord sketch) recently posted this video from the 2008 Porn Awards, in which they interview many notable members of the pornographic industry about their political views. Interestingly enough, it seems most porn stars are democrats. (Note, all people in this video are clothed and there is no profanity used, but the interviews in it do take place at a porn convention and your boss might find this NSFW. View with caution.):

On the more serious side of things, this article from Slate.com intern Alex Joseph is worth a look. Joseph, a senior at Georgetown University, tackles the issue of the youth vote in the democratic race between Clinton and Obama. The article is insightful and offers an interesting perspective from a college-aged Clinton supporter.

Also worth reading is this opinion column from The Weekly Standard associate editor, Matthew Continetti. The article, "Why Conservatives Don't Like John McCain," mentions several republicans who would likely choose Clinton over McCain, if the two came head-to-head in the general election. This piece comes on the heels of Ann Coulter's assertion that she would pick Clinton over McCain as well. To me, this anti-McCain attitude among conservatives seems to be an anecdotal phenomenon, particularly when one considers McCain's rapid revival in recent months as a viable republican candidate after being all but counted out of the race. What do you all think?

I hope you have time today to enjoy some exciting Super Tuesday coverage! This truly is one of the most exciting elections in recent years.

Passion for Fashion

Hi everyone!

I will be your Entertainment blogger for the next few months. So, who am I? Well, I’m a senior at DePaul University in Chicago focusing on Public Relations and Writing. Though I’m going to be talking a lot, I want to hear from YOU! Yes, that’s right, YOU! I love comments because that tells me what you like to hear and what you want to hear more about.

Right now, I am working at a Public Relations agency in Chicago. I work in the Fashion/Hospitality Division which most students think is so glamorous and easy-to-do, but it takes a lot of work both behind the scenes and on the runway (so to speak). As students, we don’t get to see this, so we tend to make judgments about careers based on the media. I’m sure you have all seen Sex and the City in which the infamous Samantha Jones, played by actress Kim Cattrell, is a publicist in New York City.

She is rarely in the office and when her job is brought up, it is mostly done so to invite her friends to the VIP events she is coordinating. We never get to see the hard work that goes into her events or the logistics of pulling off the event that evening. Of course, the show is fictional, so it is easy to make her job look incredibly fabulous and fun.

Have you ever seen the show that aired on MTV in 2005 called PoweR Girls? It followed PR executives at Lizzie Grubman’s New York City PR firm.

I loved this show (while it was still on) because it portrayed the side of entertainment public relations that most students don’t get to see – the planning, the strategic branding, the event coordinating, etc. While working in fashion is a blast, it is tough work, just like any other account/client work in public relations. My favorite blog regarding what’s currently happening in Fashion PR is PR Couture.

The important part: Be sure to find a niche in your career path that you enjoy!!

What's your resolution?

So, I wonder how many New Year's Resolutions you're going to break for 2008. I already know where I stand. With losing 30 pounds by Spring Break, eliminating debt, and selling a "golden" script under my belt, I'm sure I can add more to my "To-Do, still, List" for the New upcoming Year.

But seriously, there really needs to be a momentous change, some of which are imperative for us to ascend to a higher echelon as individuals and as a nation. Whether you're tuning into Hillary "the 1st" Clinton, following Ron Paul's true constitution-defending wisdom, or looking to Ba'rock the Vote - it's important that you know the issues and realize that we are in a time of great historical relevance. Deter from the daily distractions that help you to disassemble your resolution attempts and get involved in the next growing phase of our nation.

I believe America is reaching its young adult years as a nation and is in a state of re-definition, struggling to establish its identity. The United States is a rather unique form of residency. There's a mix of immigrants and the descendants of, people looking to start a new life and others seeking refuge until their home country regains its footing. One way to look at it is, I cannot actually see myself going to China and being accepted as Chinese, yet someone from China can come here and successfully be considered American, somewhat escaping confined labels, balancing old and new heritage with family. It's remarkable, and going abroad this spring will certainly help sharpen my perspectives.

But to those who keep abreast of important historical events, socio-economic and political, we all must do our part in re-educating the nation of their duty to keep the people informed by truth and not coercion, moved by natural law-not by tainted permit, and hold true the checks and balances of government by the people, for the people. Know the issues, because by the look of all the unfamiliar chunks off your paycheck(s), unfavorable health & general insurance policies, and dumbed-down masses, I'm sure they know you.

Incidentally, I almost led a list of probable movies, shows, and music LPs to look forward to-and-look away from for the 2008 year, but I truly feel that young adults (and teens alike) must see past the iPod Touch giveaways, discount Walmart TVs, and season finales and affirm a true position on taking this nation into the right direction. By learning history and tying certain points together with current events, I have learned to shed my apathy for anything political, and high-end financial/economic, and I know you can do the same.

My future film stars and crew, music makers and wanna-bees; embrace the new year with a new-found understanding. Make your New Year's resolution a task to help others keep theirs, and we just might accomplish them all. Maybe later I'll list some movies to look out for, but for now, take notice.

"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Benjamin Franklin

Duty calls.

Hostages and Strikes

I would be remiss if I wrote this blog without discussing the recent violent situation in New Hampshire. I get "Politico Breaking News Updates" (and I highly recommend them to any other political junkies out there) to my gmail and I nearly fell out of my chair when news of the hostage situation popped up on my screen. I think NBC Nightly News correspondent Andrea Mitchell deftly covered the story, providing analysis on the possible political ramifications of the event without appearing callous to the ordeal the people of Rochester, NH endured. It seems this is a perpetual challenge in the news media: balancing humanity with journalistic responsibility. To simply overlook the possible political ramifications of this traumatic event would be irresponsible. As Mitchell said, this hostage situation could irrevocably alter the deep-seated "open door" retail politics that characterize the New Hampshire political milieu. However expressing this analysis without insulting those who went through the hostage situation (and an entire town put into lock down) is a formidable challenge. There was a fine line to walk in reporting that story.

On an entirely unrelated note the WGA strike continues, leaving millions adrift in a sea of lackluster reality TV entertainment where once there were legitimate sitcoms to enjoy. I suggest tuning into the Pats vs. Ravens game tonight at 8:30 on ESPN (one that challenges my loyalties, what with being a Maryland gal living in Boston) or the classic Charlie Brown Christmas (I love it!) on ABC at 8 pm rather than suffer through yet another E! True Hollywood story or, worse yet, the Surreal Life. All joking aside, the WGA strike has the potential to forever change the entertainment industry. Here's how it breaks down: writers (and other crew members) get residuals (money) every time a "re-run" of a show they were involved in airs. As Jenna Fischer, cast member of The Office, explains in her blog, "We all count on the extra income that residuals provide as it can help us through a slump in our career when we aren't working as regularly. It is our safety net. In 10 years I may need those residual checks to cover my electric bill. You never know. Hollywood is a fickle town." (Fischer, in her blog, offers great insight on life as a sitcom actor during the strike. I highly recommend taking a look.)

With the advent of online reruns--episodes of popular shows aired on network websites like NBC.com, ABC.com, etc.--the issue of residual pay has become tricky. Writers do not receive any cut of profits made from online reruns--and there is lots of money made. The distribution cost of submitting an online rerun is lower and the increased popularity of watching reruns online is ever-increasing, allowing network execs to bump up the cost of ads shown during the online runs. As internet media becomes increasingly important in the entertainment industry, residual pay for online reruns becomes a critical issue. For ongoing analysis, I suggest Slate's "Hollywoodland" blog. Let's hope for a swift and equitable solution to the strike.

Comparing Figures

A number of amazingly popular artists/musicians have topped the charts with their singles but continue to turn out lower-than-expected sales, however, they manage to stay afloat by placing their reach into other industries. I'd say this puts the "album dependents" at a disadvantage as artists like Mos Def, Alicia Keys, Beyonce and T.I. continue the trend with their involvement in similar ventures such as acting, producing, forming labels, endorsements, and fashion. My friend even jokes about it by saying he's about to just distribute music for free and get paid advertisements within his lyrics. He calls it Google Rap.

New comers, like Robin Thicke, Yung Joc, Hurricane Chris, T-Pain, and the infamous Soulja Boy, who also top the charts with hot singles, have spread to ring tones and ringback tones. But should artists add value to the music market or should they continue to explore multiple outside-revenue streams?

Besides well to do Beyonce and JT, the most popular artists, in my view, meagerly attain barely-platinum status (T.I., Lil' Wayne, Rihanna, and R. Kelly and Jay Z) after showing sales of 3x, 4x, even 5x platinum in the past. Meanwhile, the film industry begins to recoup from a 5 year dip and another media megatron is soaring. Let's look at the numbers, shall we.

Select top artists:
Rihanna - platinum, T.I. - barely platinum, 50 cent - 1.1+ million sold
Alicia Keys - 800K+, T-Pain - 750K+, Jay Z - 550K+ (with Kingdom Come at 1.4 mill)

Take an average of $12 per unit at a high of 1.4 million, sales top off at $16+million. Unfortunately, many still receive a less than appropriate 15% of this bread which still has to be broken off to producers, sound engineers, and management. With high profile beats that can run you up to $80K per song, you're sure to see just how small that can become, relative to the work put in. That's a seasoned artist. Soulja Boy and Hurricane Chris are seeing numbers range from 337K+ sold to under 50,000.

Select top films:

• American Gangster - $115 mill and growing

• Superbad - $121 mill

• Rush Hour - $140+mill

and even higher grossing- Bourne Ultimatum - $227+mill and Transformers - $319 mill

These numbers have attracted all types of talented artists and advertisers alike, yet they still are no match for their multimedia cousins,
Select top games:

• Halo 3 - 3.7+million copies

• Gears of War - 4 million

• Wii Sports and Wii Play - 11.86 and 6.32 million copies

And overall franchises topping off at 65 million for GTA (Grand Theft Auto), 60 million for Madden NFL and 47 million for Gran Turismo. Not quite getting the picture? Remember, these units can go for $59.99 a piece, and Halo selling at (let's say) 4 million, that would put sales at over $235,000,000, for one game. Sure it has re-use value but doesn't music albums have that as well. I see it waining more and more as music begins to become a less valuable product and more a tool for other industries like advertising, film and-yes-video gaming. With numbers like 65 million copies sold-consistently, each project franchise brings in billions.

This is definitely where artists want to tap into the most. For artists have the advantage, to a degree. They can tap into gaming and film yet the two cannot return the favor. You can't feature a film trailer on an album or video games on an LP but artists can feature in a popular film scene or game as a character or background music. If more artists were to take a 50 Cent approach to this industry by deep involvement, they could grow to sustain each other through cross-marketing and investment potential. I'm not saying music is falling apart, I'm just taking a corporate bird's eye view and making sure you know where the money is. Don't look at me, compare the figures.

Thanksgivingback

After a bruised rib and a severe head injury that required Saw IV-like tolerance, I am finally back for a well-deserved Thanksgiving. The time has come, finally, for many people to take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy quality time with family, friends, and every once in a while, both. Once again, people are calling around to see who's cooking, where, and-for some- how many homes will we visit this weekend! Although, most of the attention goes towards the turkey- fried, baked or whatever- I, on the other hand, will be looking forward to the sides. The turkey is my least favorite, so I eat it last.

Now I won't bore you with nutritional value info, you can wiki that yourself. I'm concerned with the whole point of the holiday. As I get older, I witness more and more distancing of family and the true meaning behind Thanksgiving Day, or what it's grown to be. A growing amount of people are losing their interest in cooking a well-planned, variety of foods for the holiday. The number of relatives who continue the tradition of serving some real wholesome, home-cooked food is dwindling down to that one member who keeps it going. Let that member be you and encourage others to do the same for the family and the community. I'm no model for chef of the year but since watching my bank account plummet from eating out and shopping for quick meals too often, I've been getting back to the basics with good, old-fashioned home cooking.

So whether you're the watch football type, or the parade goer, or bargain shopper, just remember to leave work at work, leave stress behind and "bring it in for the real thing (Chazz),"
bring it all back home. And if you're ready to take the baton, or just ready to put on some great holiday poundage, here's what you can look forward to providing yourself, family, and hopefully those in your community who need it most:

• greens & mashed potatoes with two kinds of gravy
• sweet-buttery corn, stuffing, & candied yams
• cranberry sauce, sweet potato pie and macaroni (home style)
• dumplings, chicken, ribs, and rice
• biscuits, carrots, cornbread, salads, and sausages

I know you can just taste it. Well here's some links to help you find your way to helping out the community and helping hone your skills in the kitchen.

• Cass Community
• CommServe
• Recipies
• AllRecipies.com
• Cooks
  

Happy Halloween!

After a sickness-induced hiatus...I am back!

In honor of Halloween, I want to draw your attention to some creepy, spooky, journalism-related fun.

Slate.com has some interesting Halloween articles today, including Torie Bosch's "Explainer" article about politicians and Halloween costumes. According to Bosch, a recent poll says that Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani are the scariest politician-themed costumes. And here I am having nightmares about Karl Rove!

Julia Moskin, a food and wine critic with The New York Times, surveys several top chefs in her article "Good Taste Takes a Holiday," to find out what deliciously sugary, decidedly un-gourmet treats they plan to serve this Halloween. I'm particularly tickled by Tasting Room chef Colin Alevras, who plans to add "caramelized marshmallows" to his old fashioned Rice Krispie treats.

If you're a nerd like myself, make sure to stop by Live Science's educational article: "Halloween's Top 10 Scary Creatures." This is a must-read for anyone who wants to impress friends with some Halloween trivia tonight! (Did you know that Jack-o-Lanterns used to be made of turnips?) You might even get some good ideas for a last-minute costume...

And, of course, no Halloween blog entry would be complete without a list of the best scary movies to watch on Halloween. Reader's Digest has a good collection of cinematic terror here.

To all Experience.com readers, Happy Halloween!


p.s. Google has a fun, Halloween-themed homepage today. Make sure to check it out!

New Theory on Radio

In the conventional process of acquiring stardom in the music industry, most would think it necessary to chase radio play across the nation in as many cities as possible. It seems like a credible notion that radio airplay means success, but does that really hold true today? Not quite. When I say most, I mean most people with conventional thinking. The newly innovative thinking is the counter and the conventional process seems more like a burden for many musicians and their managers across all genres.

Within the aspiring music-making community, radio has recently been revered as a monotonous zone of favoritism and exclusion. Naturally, that's what favoritism does but there has been some speculation that record labels may play a bigger role in what gets played than the radio production crew itself. With revenue declining and lack of growth, radio has all the incentive to play artists' music when backed behind a label that would gladly pay a premium.You think that new artist you heard the other day with the new hit single was given a well-deserved chance for fame all by their lonesome like the good ol'days? Not exactly. Record labels have been known to forward content from unsigned artists as a "hook, line, and signer" strategy to get them signed to their label as a lure.

So what's wrong with the conventional process? The answer is that high transformational variety is still a hot commodity among listeners and is in high demand; so why aren't radio stations listening to what the people want? My self-proclaimed saturation theory would state that constant radio play does not guarantee success and industry fame but, in fact, jeopardizes it. People get tired of hearing the same 10 songs on all three -good reception- stations every hour of every day. Furthermore, the saturated content of radio play pushes the listener to look for something new within a shorter amount of time. This leads to listener agitation and away from advertising, hence lower ad sales and the, now current, high demand for ad sales reps in radio. In response, now the artists and their people have to work harder and faster to get new music out to the public, lessening the quality of their content and increasing the liability of radio advertising, music promotion and poor listening choices.

The medicine; online radio. Internet (online) radio has begun to fill the void and even surpass the poorly coordinated attempts of (subscription-based) satellite radio much like the flash drive did the embarrassing debut and ousting of the zip drive. Online radio has been, in my opinion, the best innovative response to the lack of variety in conventional radio. Not only do you have more personality talk and new artists that you may come to know and love, but you also have new exclusive songs from current artists that mainstream wouldn't accept or is just hot off the production board. Not to mention, many online radio stations do not saturate you with 20 songs from Beyonce and T-Pain, allows listeners to sample other genres with more stations than three to choose from, and is now becoming readily available for your car, creating a viable market for advertising and music sales (ie. instant access to digital sales et. al.).

If that's not innovative then I don't know what is, but I tell you it surely isn't conventional and radio should have recognized the opportunity a decade ago. So bye-bye bland band radio, it's time to burn off that saturated fat and start dining elsewhere.

Devil's Advocate

The sun is the most powerful source of energy in our solar system, then comes the power of electricty, and third, for people all around the world today, comes the power of spoken word; speech. Well, I'm hear to bring the word to you all about the environmentally "green" movement.

I love saving energy and all, but some things (at least for me) will never change. Get this! Last I went to the supermarket, which was this past (my B-day) weekend, I had seen chicken legs the size of my desktop, apples the size of a canteloupe, and a car with 11,000 features the size of a jet ski. What's wrong with this picture? I don't know about you, but how does one get dramatically oversized food into an iPod on wheels while still having room for friends?

Car makers and genetically engineered (GE) food creators are not two that I would normally mention but they have one thing in common; I'm not feelin' what they're wheelin'. There's just something about humanly-altered food and plastic bubbles on cart wheels that gives me a cringe. And I quote, I personally refuse to sacrafice the style a smoothly manufactured aluminum case of "fashionable entrance" power and size to save 20 cents per gallon.

And is GE food good for the environment? Because there's a couple organizations on my campus who are parted on the issue; one saying it saves money and helps millions, the other saying it corrupts bodies and hurts millions. All I know is when I eat meat, fruit, or veggies, it better be O'natural because, correct me if I'm wrong, humans for the past couple hundred years have made some pretty huge bloopers in hopes of making a profit, and I'd rather my health not be on their income statement.

Lastly, as I stated earlier, I love saving energy and all but it has it's limits. However, 'you give me a classic 1996 Chevy Impala SS with new eniviromentally sound insides and a good meal delivered straight from Mother Earth herself, then you'll have an avid believer. Until then, "say hello to da bad guy."